A shot (or two) of espresso is an incredible luxury, particularly for those who love great coffee. Enjoying a homemade espresso shot typically requires an expensive espresso machine or a trip to your local coffee shop.

But what if you don’t have the time or money for these options?

Don’t worry, you don’t have to go without. Keep reading for four quick tutorials that will teach you how to make espresso without a machine.

Defining espresso

Surprisingly, despite its prevalence in coffee shops throughout the world, there is no fixed definition for an espresso.

In fact, it is almost easier to get experts to agree on what an espresso is not.There are, however, a few basic guidelines upon which everyone agrees.

An espresso is a highly concentrated coffee beverage made up exclusively of coffee and water.

It is made in a machine that uses a very high pressure to force hot water through a tightly packed basket of finely ground coffee over a short time span.

The resultant drink has a foamy surface layer known as the crema which is difficult to achieve with alternative brewing methods.

What varies between machines, baristas, and definitions are the specifics like the precise pressure, temperature and weight of coffee grounds.

Most concur that a minimum pressure of 9 bars (130 psi) is required to produce a traditional espresso, a force that requires a specialized machine.

While plenty of online sources may suggest that you can make espresso with a French press or a standard coffee maker, don’t be fooled.

At least some pressure above and beyond that of the atmosphere must be employed to deliver a true shot of espresso.

How To Make Espresso Without a coffee maker:

#1 - Use an AeroPress (but not the usual way)

The AeroPress was invented in 2005 and has been heralded as a revolution by many coffee aficionados.

This simple and inexpensive bit of plastic tubing produces what many experts have claimed is the finest cup of coffee they’ve ever had.

The key is that, like an espresso machine, the AeroPress relies on pressure to force the maximum flavor from your coffee beans.

Unlike an espresso machine, however, the AeroPress is cheap, lightweight, portable, and requires no electricity.

It has quickly developed a following among backpackers and RVers.

BUT....you can't just make an espresso using an Aeropress the normal way. No no no.

What You Need

AeroPress with two filters

Espresso beans

Coffee grinder

Tamp

Kettle

Cold water

Pre-warmed mug

Pro Tip: The first step to great espresso is a quality grinder, and burr grinders are far superior to their bladed counterparts. While they can be pricey, there are plenty of affordable options on the market.

How to make it

Grind beans to a fine grind. Getting the best grind for an espresso is critical; too fine and the pressure required to force the water through will be too high, too coarse and you’re espresso will be weak and watery. You may need to experiment a bit before you find the right balance.

Prepare the AeroPress by placing one of the paper filters in the filter cap and pour a little hot water over it to warm it up. Next, screw the cap onto the bottom of the AeroPress chamber and add your coffee grounds.

Take the second filter and again moisten it with a little hot water. Stick the damp paper filter to the bottom of your tamp and press it into the top of the grinds. Now, push the filter down onto the coffee grounds, using your tamper to compact the grounds.

Using the kettle, bring the water to just below a boil and slowly pour it over the puck of grounds in the chamber, filling the chamber to just above the “2” mark.

As soon as you’re done pouring in the water, place the chamber on your mug and insert the plunger. Push the plunger down into the puck of grounds at the bottom.

Keep pushing until you’ve squashed the puck as best you can. If your grind size and tamping pressure were correct, this should take a little muscle, but shouldn’t feel impossible. Your espresso is ready to enjoy!

Pro Tip:If you are forcing your AeroPress and its becoming very very hard, do not force it! You will build up so much pressure and somethings gotta give. I learnt the hard way and now have coffee stains on the ceiling.

#2 - Use a Hand espresso machine

A simple and lightweight hand espresso machine is a single unit consisting of a pod for coffee grounds and an adjacent arm that is filled with hot water.

The pressure required to pull a shot of espresso is built up by pumping the arm, much like a bicycle pump.

It is even more compact than the AeroPress and has few parts to manage.

The hand espresso machine can also be used with prepackaged coffee pods, though your espresso will be far superior with freshly ground beans.

What You Need

Cold water

Kettle, or other means of boiling water

Espresso beans

Grinder

Hand espresso machine

Mug

How to make it

Finely grind enough beans to fill the espresso pod of the machine.

Lay out the espresso machine with the espresso pod pointing up. Unscrew the espresso pod filter and fill it with the finely ground coffee. You may or may not need to use all the coffee you prepared. Fill it until the grounds lay flat and in line with the top of the pod.

Heat the water in the kettle until it reaches boiling point, then add it to the water cavity. Ensure the cavity is full to the top.

While firmly holding the upper portion of the machine, pump the bottom pump up to 16 psi. Once you reach this pressure, press the extraction button and hold over a mug till complete.

#3 - Use A Manual lever machine

A manual lever machine is a complex and beautiful piece of equipment that takes a certain skill to use well.

However, once this skill is mastered, this instrument delivers a truly remarkable product.

Manual machines offer more space for customization, allowing you to optimize every nuance of your espresso.

Additionally, they allow you to truly feel like you’re perfecting a craft, rather than simply pushing a button.

What You Need

Manual lever espresso machine including portafilter

Espresso beans

Grinder

Tamp

Cold filtered water

Pre-warmed mug

How To Make It

Turn the machine on, pour the cold filtered water into the machine’s reservoir and allow it to warm up.

Grind the beans in a burr grinder to a fine espresso grind. As with the AeroPress, and any other espresso method, the grind size is crucial. Expect that you will need to experiment before you hit on the perfect result.

Spoon the grounds into the portafilter and press down on them with the tamp. As with grind size, the force with which you tamp will affect the end product. You want to aim for about 30 pounds of pressure, but this too will likely require some trial and error.

Install the portafilter in the machine and place a warmed espresso mug underneath. Slowly and steadily raise the lever. When you reach the top, wait ten seconds, then smoothly and firmly lower the lever. This should take about 20 seconds and 45 pounds of pressure.

#4 - Try A Moka pot ('stovetop espresso maker')

The moka pot is often called a stovetop espresso maker, even though it doesn’t make a true espresso.

In an espresso machine, water is forced through the coffee grounds under high pressure, resulting in the coffee we are all familiar with.

The resultant beverage made on a stovetop is concentrated and flavorful, like an espresso, but lacks the characteristic crema.

Nevertheless, a moka pot is a simple and inexpensive way to get espresso-style coffee at home.

The biggest worry with a moka pot is over-extraction and burnt tasting coffee, but both issues can be avoided with a little care and practice.

What You Need

Moka pot

Espresso beans

Grinder

Cold filtered water

Warm rug

How to make it

Grind beans to a fine espresso grind.

Fill the bottom chamber of the moka pot with cold filtered water.

Fill the filter basket with the ground beans and assemble the moka pot by placing the filter basket into the water-filled bottom chamber and screwing on the top chamber.

Place the moka pot on a heat source (stove top burner, hot plate, even an open fire if you’re camping) and wait for the water in the lower chamber to come to a boil.

Await for the characteristic gurgling sound that lets you know the upper chamber is now full of delicious coffee. Remove the moka pot from the heat immediately to avoid any burnt taste and pour the contents of the upper chamber into a mug.

Now You Know You Can Enjoy an Espresso without going broke!

A great espresso is a wonderful thing and with this set of tutorials, you can now enjoy one anytime without needing to invest in an expensive machine.

The alternatives listed here even provide the opportunity to enjoy espresso off-the-grid.

Whether it’s a manual lever machine in your cottage, an AeroPress at the trailhead, or a moka pot over the campfire, you need never be without great coffee!

We are obsessed with great coffee - and since you've ended up here, we can only assume that you are too! Our goal is simple - to continue to learn about speciality coffee, develop our home brewing skills, and to share what we learn about it with the you and the rest of the world.

Because life's to short to drink shitty coffee!​

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